The Holly and the Ivy
by Sheila B
Summary: A sequel to the fic A Seal Upon Your Heart. Harry and Draco are fumbling into their post Hogwarts lives, and into an awkward romance. But there are things about Draco that Harry still doesn't get.  SLASH.
1. Chapter 1

"What's that?"

"Music, Harry."

"It's not bad,"Harry said.

"It's Mozart,"Draco replied. He stood in the empty drawing room wearing a t-shirt and old pants. His wand was raised and, as he moved his arm, new wallpaper plastered itself to the walls of number 12, Grimmauld Place. Under Draco's graceful control, the room slowly changed from dark and olive green to bright, and blue and white.

"That's an unusual color scheme for a Slytherin," Harry said. He stood awkwardly in the doorway, still holding his grocery bags. Kreacher did most of their everyday shopping, but there were a few Muggle items Harry liked to have as well.

"I don't see why every pureblood who was ever in Slytherin has to be confined to only using green and silver," Draco said. "It's getting so cliché. Anyway, you need some light in this house."

"I'm also surprised you didn't hire someone."

"Neither of us can afford that," Draco said. "We could always do it the Muggle way - where we'd end up having an adorable paint fight loaded with unresolved sexual tension."

"It doesn't need to be unresolved," Harry said. Draco shook his head and smiled.

"Go put your groceries away."

While Harry unpacked the food - noisily, as usual, Draco rolled out the matching rug and levitated the curtains in place. Harry stuck his head around the door again.

"D'you know where the silver candelabra from the study got to?"

"I lent it to Mother," Draco said.

"But that was mine."

"I rather think it was _mine_," Draco drawled. "Everything in this house you didn't buy with your own money is mine as well as yours."

"Sirius left this house to me," Harry snapped.

"The _stuff_ in it was left to me generations before anyone thought about leaving anything to you," Draco said coolly.

"Yeah, yeah, and did those feet in ancient times, "Harry muttered and went off to clang around in another room. Draco put loud music on the wizard wireless to drown him out. Not being able to tell Harry the truth was starting to make him irritable, and Harry continued to go around broadcasting his Draco centric fantasies to anyone who was a halfway decent mind reader. Draco was starting to consider taking a chance on Harry but he found the strength of Harry's feelings a bit intimidating.

Harry and Draco left for Blaise Zabini's party around sunset and took their time walking there, crunching through the last of the autumn leaves. They found themselves holding hands, leaning slightly into each other.

Blaise Zabini and Theo Nott had returned from the British Virgin Islands, where they'd taken off to at the end of sixth year. Blaise had only been back since Snape's funeral. They'd strung the balcony of their luxury high rise flat with fairy lights. A witch in a silver dress met Harry and Draco at the door of the flat, and ushered them inside. The main room was huge and high-ceilinged, with a series of floor-to-ceiling plate glass windows, a matching door at one end that faced the balcony and stunning views of the water. Glowing balloons floated through the air. They'd decorated the place with the most modern Muggle furniture and souvenirs from the Islands.

Draco pilfered two champagne flutes from a passing waiter and handed one to Harry.

"Should you be drinking on the job?" Harry asked.

"Harry, it's not like being an Auror," Draco said. "I have to mingle. And no one minds if we come in to work hung over or even if we spend half the day having mock sword fights with umbrellas as long as we put out a newspaper at the end of the day."

"That's so childish."

"Welcome to journalism ," Draco said. "Of course, if we don't get a paper out, or if we print something wrong, then the boss comes and screams at us."

"I think it's traditional that when you're our age you have to work at a job where you get screamed at,"Harry said.

Theo Nott headed toward them, beaming. "Thank you for coming!"

"Thank you for doing a runner just when we needed you," Draco said with a smirk. "You bastard."

"You didn't come all this way just to insult me," Theo said.

"All this way?" Draco said. "It really wasn't that far. We walked it."

"Oh _you_," Theo said. He grinned. "I'm so honored to have Harry Potter at my-our-party. Come talk to me!" He whisked Harry off. Draco stood by the food and pretended to be working. All around him, his former classmates were relaxing and laughing, house loyalties forgotten for a moment. Lavender Brown, her left arm in a cast, was busy chatting up Zacharias Smith. Luna Lovegood sat perched in the lap of a stunned-looking Neville Longbottom. She was wearing an absurd straw hat and sunglasses, and a stuffed parrot on her shoulder.

"Why are you standing all by yourself?" Hermione asked.

"I'm guarding the rum,"Draco muttered.

"Who in their right mind would let you guard anything? "

"It was a _joke_," Draco said.

"Yeah." Hermione filled her plate with a variety of Caribbean-themed finger foods. "Are you always this fun at parties?"

"I heard you're interning at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement," Draco said. Yes, he would attempt to make conversation with Hermione Granger. Anything was better than standing here alone.

"Oh yes!" Hermione said, grasping at the opening. "It's so exciting. We're really working on revamping some of the magical laws, reorganizing things. Of course, I spend a lot of time getting coffee and sitting in stuffy archive rooms doing research. But we've got the Umbridge trial coming up, that should be interesting."

"I almost forgot about that," Draco admitted. "_And_ I'm a witness!"

Hermione winced.

"Harry's not happy about that," she said. "He doesn't quite get it."

"It's not like I have a choice, is it? "

"You have none,"Hermione said. "I saw the subpoena. Umbridge is desperate for supporters, that's why her defense team wants you. And Harry doesn't have a choice about testifying for the prosecution either."

"It's just so embarrassing," Draco complained. "Standing up in front of the court to tell everyone about the idiotic thing I did when I was fifteen."

"But you've done so many idiotic things, "Hermione said, with a hint of a smile on her face. "And it's not as if you can take any of them back now."

"I can't go around being _proud_ of them, "Draco said. "I'm supposed to be…you know…redeeming myself."

Hermione patted his arm.

"And you're doing such a good job!"

Draco glared at her.

Eventually, when he'd had more than enough to drink, he convinced Harry that they should really go home. Harry stumbled a bit coming down the steps. Draco laughed as he propped Harry up. A fat raindrop splashed on his hand. It was joined by a dozen others a moment later. Draco transfigured a stick into a large black umbrella and raised it over their heads. They held hands as they walked. Harry pointed out facets of the Muggle world that Draco hadn't known about.

"Those cameras monitor the traffic. We have them almost everywhere public now."

"That's really quite creepy,"Draco said. "Aren't we lucky we have ways around that. It's the Muggle Aurors who keep track of the footage?"

Harry nodded. Draco shuddered. He didn't like law enforcement, they reminded him of raids conducted in the middle of the night, people coming to take his father away. It wasn't made any easier by the fact that he was holding hands with an Auror in training.

"Muggles call them the police."

"The pleece,"Draco repeated. "I think I knew that one. And those are the time machines, yes?" Draco pointed at a telephone booth as they passed it.

"No, uh, that was just on telly," Harry said. "Muggles don't really have time machines. And that one's the wrong color anyway."

"Well, _wizards_ can go back in time," Draco sniffed. They were at Grimmauld Place now, Harry fumbled in his pockets for the door key. They climbed the stone steps, which were narrow and forced them to press together. Harry was warm and the sleeve of his coat was soft. Draco leaned forward and kissed him. Harry responded but it felt awkward. Maybe he would have preferred to make the first move. Good. Draco liked confusing and irritating him.

"Maybe things would have been easier if we'd been friends at school,"Harry said.

"You didn't _want_ to be my friend."

"Draco!"Harry exclaimed. "That was seven years ago! How can you hold a grudge for seven years?"

"Because it never got dealt with, Harry." Draco spun around on the steps. "And it didn't stop - you and your friends and all the teachers who snuck around behind the scenes fixing things so you'd come out on top- every time I came up against you I lost. I didn't just lose; I got humiliated, often publicly. I'm not the sort of person who learns not to want something by being repeatedly denied it. "

"What did you want?"

"To win. I wanted to win just one time," Draco retorted, bitterness in his voice. "I wanted for you to be wrong and me to be right and for everyone to know it, at least once."

"But why?"

"Because! Harry, because if I couldn't manage to succeed at Hogwarts, with everything I should have had going for me, then I wouldn't be able to succeed anywhere! And you cheated and everyone knew it but nobody would say it except me and when I did everyone labeled ME the whining brat who had it in for the Great Harry Potter! If I couldn't make you be my friend, at least I could make you hate me and that meant you couldn't ignore me. No one would be able to ignore me!"

"Fine!" Harry said. "We'll get Hermione's Time Turner and go back and you can be the one Lord Voldemort tries to kill."

"He DID try to kill me!" Draco said, his voice grew louder, bordering on shouting. "He set up me up to die, as a punishment for my parents, and then in the Great Hall he told you he was going to find me and kill me!"

"That's not the same thing at all!"

"How is it not the same?" Draco yelled. "How?"

"Because you were never _important_!" Harry shouted in exasperation. Draco felt like Harry had slapped him. Harry shrugged and muttered "Just listen, Draco. You were just a pawn to him, that's why he could think nothing of getting rid of you. And stop it with your conspiracy theories- nobody listens to you because nobody cares! You didn't matter enough to anyone for people to go out of their way to hurt you. Draco Malfoy wasn't a factor in anything. Even the love of your life preferred someone else."

"You even took that away from me!" Draco blinked back traitorous tears. "She couldn't just be some woman or even some Muggle woman, she had to be your mother."

Harry pointed his wand at Draco. Draco felt a sharp pain inside, but not from any spell: the pain was caused at the sight of his old wand, the one Harry took from him. He ran upstairs and locked himself in his room, Harry shouting after him and calling him a coward.

"You're looking very drawn," the portrait above Draco's bed remarked. Draco sat up, rubbed his eyes and sniffled. He glanced around his bedroom at all the possessions he'd hurled about in his temper tantrum. It had been an undignified, unseemly display, something that might have got him in trouble if he were younger and still living at Malfoy Manor. The portrait of Severus frowned at him. He'd been painted in his favorite high necked black robes, standing behind his desk with his arms folded.

"I wouldn't have tolerated that either," he said.

"You can't read my mind!" Draco muttered. "You're just canvas and paint and spells."

"No, but I've been observing you for the last twenty minutes," Severus said. "You're acting childishly, you lost control. I know what Lucius would say about that. "

"I'm so _angry_,"Draco said, the frustration twisting in his chest and almost cutting off his breath.

"And did this help?"

"Yes," Draco said. "No. "

"Now tell me what you're angry about. And use your words."

Draco turned away, he couldn't look at the portrait as he spoke.

"He takes everything away from me."

"Spending your life seething over old high school wounds isn't worth it," Severus said. It sounded insincere to both of them and they both frowned. "It all looks different when you're dead." Severus made another attempt at sounding like he meant it.

"Well, you would know!" Draco cried. "You're still in love with HER."

Severus was silent.

"You loved her and you did even when you were-" _making me feel better than I've ever felt in my life_. "It's always been about Harry. Harry Potter and his dead Muggle mother!"

"You're angry because you had to share my affections with a dead woman."

"No, because she was his mother!" Draco kicked the nightstand.

"I had a life before you were born,"Severus said. "If it hadn't been for Lily Potter, you wouldn't want to be with me. Believe me, Draco."

"You could love me because you'd loved her," Draco said slowly.

"And he finally catches on," Severus said. "I wouldn't have been able to teach you potions or defense spells if someone hadn't taught them to me. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Draco nodded, feeling foolish once again.

"You never talked this way with me when you were alive."

"There was too much risk involved," Severus said and Draco knew he was referring to more than just the political implications of loving a Muggleborn or being a half blood and having relations with a pureblood. .

"I miss you."

"Now, Draco. Don't." Severus murmured.


	2. Chapter 2

"Oh, come on, Malfoy, "Rita Skeeter said, "Turn that frown upside down. You should be celebrating." One of Draco's co workers blew a noisemaker on cue.

"I am, really!" Draco said. He chugged back the last of his champagne and gave her a fake smile.

"When I agreed to take you on as my apprentice, I had no idea what a _fabulous_ team we'd make, "Rita cooed. "Next year _The Prophet_ will sweep all the events, I'm sure of it."

"Don't get me wrong," Draco said, "I'm thrilled we won the three legged race... _and _the hundred-meter dash... _and_ the egg-and-spoon, _and_ the musical chairs, but I'm not in a great mood." He glanced down at the little metal trophy on his desk that had the words "Annual Greater London Area Alternative Press Field Day" engraved on it. "I'd rather just get back to work."

"_No_," Rita gasped. "Wash your mouth out!"

"I'm due to have lunch with my father in an hour," Draco said, and sighed. "I'll go do that, then."

Draco sat on the edge of the fountain in _The Prophet's_ courtyard, balancing his notebook on the stone, and worked on his gossip items until Lucius arrived. Lucius sat down next to him and handed Draco a bagged lunch.

"Your mother made it. I think."

"I'm learning how to cook for myself," Draco said. "She doesn't have to do that."

"Please, tell me you're not serious."

"Oh, I'm not serious, "Draco admitted. "Harry's got a house elf. But I can boil water on my own now. Cooking's just like Potions, I expect. "

"I expect," Lucius said carefully. "We don't like you living so far away, on your own in London."

"I'm not on my own, "Draco protested. "I'm with Harry."

"And somehow, that doesn't sound any better," Lucius said. "When you say "with", do you mean what I suspect you mean?"

"I hope," Draco whispered.

"Well, we do owe him, "Lucius said. "And you've secured yourself excellent protection at the same time, and got your foot in the door of the Black mansion."

"And I _like him_," Draco said. He stumbled over the words. "Severus isn't-isn't c-coming back, Pansy's gone, I need-I don't want to be alone." He'd never been so honest with his father before in his life.

"Potter will be a good match," Lucius said after a nerve-wracking and uncomfortable pause. "He has your wand and he is, after all the-"

"Father!" Draco squirmed.

"It's poetic, when you really consider it,"Lucius said. "I can't stand Potter but this may be our last chance. To fix it."

"You don't mean just fix what we did in the war," Draco said.

"You know very well what I mean, Draco," Lucius said. "You will redeem the bloodline, make things right for all of wizarding Britain."

"I can't have children with him,"Draco pointed out.

"We'll work that out, "Lucius scoffed. "It's the symbolism. You can always get some pureblood girl to have the baby."

"Right, "Draco said uncomfortably. _Because the only thing that could possibly make this harder is turning it into a magical obligation. _

Draco and Harry didn't speak to each other as they got dressed for court. They left separately, and arrived at the Ministry separately. In the court room, they made sure to sit as far away from each other as possible. Dolores Umbridge was brought in, in shackles. She had no makeup on and her curls were flatter, but she didn't look as if she'd suffered as much as other people brought out from prison generally did. Draco's father had been frightening when they brought him back from Azkaban.

The head of Umbridge's defense team, Mr. Rebus, smiled at Draco. He was shorter than Draco, and rotund, with a huge forehead and receding hair. "Of course I saw to it that she was treated well, you needn't have worried."

"I wasn't worried, "Draco said. He hadn't spared a single thought for Dolores Umbridge since the last time he'd seen her, two and a half years ago. He wasn't her _friend_. The court hushed as if on cue. Draco glanced away as Harry took his seat in the chair in the center of the gallery.

"Your name is Harry James Potter, of 12 Grimmauld Place?" The prosecution was a soft spoken woman in a red robe, middle aged but with a kindly face, whilst the presiding Ministry official was Amelia Bones.

"Yes."

"And you were a student at Hogwarts Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry in 1995, at which time Dolores Jane Umbridge was acting Headmistress?" The prosecutor asked.

"Yes-yes I was." Harry pushed his glasses up on his nose, a gesture Draco was beginning to find cute. _No! Don't look at him!_

"Did she use corporal punishment during her tenure?"

"Well, she made students do lines with a quill that cut into their skin." Harry's voice seemed deliberately emotionless.

The prosecutor waited for the noises of shock to subside.

"I see. Were you amongst those forced to use this quill? "

"Yes, I was. More than once, and I got a scar from it."

She nodded solemnly. "That does seem excessive."

Rebus voiced an objection. "Speculation!"

"Sustained," Amelia Bones affirmed from her seat of judgement. "Please keep to the facts."

"It used my own blood to write on the parchment," Harry said.

"In that case, I had no need to speculate. Thank you, Mr. Potter. Now, in addition to these "Quills", Miss Umbridge also formed what were known as "Inquisitorial Squads", did she not? "

"Yeah. They spied on everyone and told her so she could punish people. "

"You mean to tell me, Mr. Potter, that Miss Umbridge was setting schoolchildren the task of spying upon each other? " She asked.

" OBJECTION! Emotional language!" Rebus practically screeched.

"Overruled. Answer the question, Mr. Potter."

"Yes!"

"Would you care to give the court a few more details of these "squads?" she asked.

"Uh. They were mostly older kids. They had little pins that identified them. A lot of Slytherins." Harry fiddled with his glasses again.

"And would you judge these squads to have been detrimental to the running of the school?"

"Definitely. We couldn't do anything anymore. She had spies everywhere."

"So you would argue that Miss Umbridge's actions seriously interfered with your education, and that of your classmates? " The prosecutor rocked back on her heels.

"She never stopped interfering."

"_She never stopped interfering._" Thank you, Mr. Potter. No further questions."

Mr. Rebus stood up and approached the chair, his leather shoes squeaking. "Hello, Mr. Potter. I'd like you to clarify a few of your answers for me. First of all, you say you have a scar from the Quill Miss Umbridge made you use? "

"Yeah, I do."

"And what exactly does it say?" Rebus smiled.

"It says "I must not tell lies."

"AHHH. "I must not tell lies." Tell me, Mr. Potter... Are you in the habit of telling lies? Is that why Miss Umbridge felt compelled to reprimand you?"

"No!" Harry exclaimed.

"Indeed, Mr. Potter? I would venture to suggest that the court take your testimony with a grain of salt, at the very least."

"OBJECTION!" The red-robed prosecutor leapt to her feet. "Insinuation that Mr. Potter is untrustworthy."

"Sustained. Have that stricken from the record. " Amelia Bones waved irritably at the court recorder.

" Of course. Pray forgive me, I merely wanted to ascertain the witness's reliability. Now, Mr. Potter, you told us earlier that Miss Umbridge and her squads were "always interfering." Interfering with what, exactly?"

"We couldn't meet. Friends couldn't meet in groups of more than three. We couldn't have clubs - we couldn't do anything like if the Ministry didn't approve."

"Really, Mr. Potter? I was under the impression that you did have a "club" as you put it, and that you and your friends met regularly, in defiance of the rules." Rebus smiled again, smarmily.

" Well, yeah! But we were only learning to defend ourselves." Harry gripped the arms of the chair.

"Defend yourselves - or attack others, Mr. Potter? It's my understanding that one member of this so-called "club" was so afraid of its purpose that she informed the Ministry of its existence - and that, in callous revenge, a member of your "club" had that brave girl permanently disfigured. Does this sound like a "self-defence" club to you, Mr. Potter?" Rebus raised his voice.

"I don't think betraying your friends is very brave."

"So you call it "betrayal" Mr. Potter - and you think that's a grave enough crime to disfigure a girl for life? Please... Answer the question. "

"I- didn't know it was permanent... "

"I would venture to suggest that the person who cast that spell either knew it was permanent, or didn't care either way. Is this lack of regard for your fellows common in the members of your 'club', Mr. Potter? Is that why Miss Umbridge wished to prevent further meetings from taking place? "

"No! It was because she didn't want us learning defensive spells!"

"Oh come now, Mr. Potter! What possible reason could Miss Umbridge have for that? Are you suggesting that she would want an entire generation of witches and wizards unable to defend themselves? "

"Yes!" Harry snapped.

"How fascinating. Could you possibly tell us why?"

"The Ministry told her not to let us learn them. Because we were all supposed to pretend that Lord Voldemort wasn't back. I dunno, but she obviously wanted the Death Eaters to win anyway since she was - you know. Later."

"She obviously wanted the Death Eaters to win. Well, obviously! Why else would Miss Umbridge have conducted a rigorous search of possible traitors to the Wizarding cause within the Ministry? Why else would she have devoted years of her life to identifying the weakest links in the chain, and making sure they would never cause us to be betrayed?" Rebus leaned forward and practically shouted at Harry. "Mr. Potter, Miss Umbridge was instrumental to your victory against the Death Eaters, and because of a silly personal vendetta you have against her, when she caught you in a lie, you have fabricated a tissue of lies designed to send her to Azkaban! A callous revenge, but then I suppose fitting, for one who sees nothing wrong in disfiguring those who dare to oppose you!"

"OBJECTION!" shouted the prosecutor. "Misrepresentation of facts!"

"Overruled. Let this stand," Madame Bones replied.

"No further questions."

Rebus alighted from the stand and headed over to Umbridge, who was positively aglow with delight. Harry looked around, obviously hoping he could step down now.

"Miss Umbridge's defence case will begin in one hour."

Draco bought a cardboard mug of hot tea in the Ministry canteen and sat by himself. Harry entered a few minutes later and joined a queue of Ministry employees at the buffet. He didn't look at Draco, and Draco was glad. Draco did, however, look up when a pair of women's high heels click-clacked over to his table.

"I'm not supposed to talk to you right now," Hermione said. She was wearing a businesslike pinstripe women's suit and the robes of an intern in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. "But I just wanted to let you know that Rebus is going to try and butter you up on the stand."

"Thanks," Draco said. "I appreciate you warning me."

She stared at him.

"No, I'm serious, "Draco said.

Hermione's face broke into a relieved smile, like he'd just given her a Christmas present or told her that she'd passed a difficult exam. "I'm late for my case!" she gasped and scampered away. Draco tensed as he returned to the gallery.

"Proceed, Mr. Rebus."

"Thank you, Your Honour. Now, this court will be well aware that I believe my client to have been maliciously wronged by those she has dared offend in her pursuit of truth and justice. To this end, I will call upon many of her employees and admirers, in an attempt to show the true Dolores Umbridge. A woman of warmth; a woman of principle; a woman who, above all, put truth above compromise. "

Harry snorted.

"My first witness will be Mr. Draco Malfoy, a young man of good family who played so vital a role in the defeat of the Dark Lord."

Draco stood, glancing at Rebus. He sat in the witness chair, aware of the entire court's eyes on him.

"Now, Mr. Malfoy. Were you a member of Miss Umbridge's Inquisitorial Squads during the school year of 1995? "

"Yeah. Uh. Yeah." Draco tried to sound bored.

"And I understand that your duties were largely those of a Prefect: to supervise your fellows, and to watch out for troublemakers. Is that correct? "

"Yes. I was a prefect for Slytherin House."

"And wasn't being part of the Inquisitorial Squad merely an extension of your duties?" Rebus asked.

"I thought so at the time," Draco deadpanned.

"Well, of course Miss Umbridge would have wished to assign such duties to only the most responsible students at Hogwarts. Considering the seditious elements present in the school at the time, wouldn't you agree that the school needed a little more in the way of surveillance?"

"Oh yes. Hogwarts was full of trouble-makers. It was full of, as you say, "seditious elements". Some students were even working with adults outside the school to infiltrate Hogwarts."

Rebus was overjoyed. "THERE!" he crowed, turning to the court. "Members of the Court, given this testimony, how can you doubt that these Squads were necessary for the protection of Hogwarts? How can you doubt that Miss Umbridge acted from the noblest of motives? "

Draco sat up a little straighter.

"Please tell us more, Mr. Malfoy! I'm sure the court would be most interested to hear your story."

Draco took a deep breath.

"It's just that Harry Potter's friends weren't those students. I thought differently at the time, but it turns out that I didn't really know anything. I was just trying to be helpful and I thought it was fun to make life hard for Harry Potter."

Rebus grew pale. "Of course you were trying to be helpful, Mr. Malfoy - it goes without saying that - erm - your surveillance of other students was entirely right and proper. Even the great Harry Potter must be treated like the rest of the students, yes?"

"I thought so. But then, I was really confused that year. "

Rebus wiped his forehead with a handkerchief. "I'm sure you were entirely correct in your judgements, Mr. Malfoy."

"Oh no, I wasn't. I wasn't at all. Because I was the one working with

people outside! I was the one who- the next year, I was worse than

Dumbledore's Army."

Rebus was speechless. Umbridge sat forward in her chair, glaring daggers at her defence. Draco looked back impassively.

"Potter was just doing what he thought Dumbledore wanted. And because of him, lots of people are still alive. And I was just doing what...I was a stupid little boy. And because of Professor Umbridge, a lot of people are dead."

Umbridge stood up and screamed. "You traitor! TRAITOR! Lies! Don't listen to him! You worthless swine!" She turned to her defence team. "How dare you betray me like this? I was only following orders! "

Draco raised his eyebrows. Umbridge trembled as if she was about to explode like a pink volcano.

"No further questions, Your Honour." Rebus was gray faced.

"Can I go?" Draco asked.

" I too have no further questions, Your Honour," said the prosecutor with a triumphant smile. "I believe Mr. Malfoy's testimony speaks for itself. Dolores Jane Umbridge, you are hereby sentenced to Azkaban for five years."

Harry found Draco after the trial. They could still hear Umbridge shouting somewhere in the ministry.

"Thanks for helping," Harry said. He touched Draco's arm awkwardly, a gesture of forgiveness and apology.

"What did you expect me to do?" Draco asked. "I like you and I don't like her."


	3. Chapter 3

"May I help you, sir?" The assistant at Hadrian's Wizard Emporium hurried over to Draco and bowed slightly.

"Yeah. What does the man who has everything buy for the man who doesn't want anything?"Draco demanded.

The assistant barely blinked."We have an excellent selection of personalized parchment."

"No, no, it has to be special,"Draco said. _How about for someone you've hated for seven years but now you're friends because you just went through something horrible together, but he wants to __be your lover__ and you know you __want that__ too but you're not ready to go as far as he wants to go because you had a traumatic experience with a werewolf and anyway you're still getting used to not hating him and yet you're living in the same house- have you got anything for that?_ "What else?"

"Does this man enjoy reading?"

"Not really,"Draco said. "He's more of the sporty type."

"Ah, now we're getting somewhere! A framed photo of the 1964 Chudley Cannons, signed by the entire team!"

Draco waved it away. "Not impressive enough." In the end he settled for a designer wool sweater and a pair of fashionable, high performance Quidditch boots. He'd just have to keep looking for that one special present. He purchased a delicate silver shawl for his mother, and a box of cigars for his father before going into Flourish and Blotts.

It was on the second floor of the bookshop that one particular book caught Draco's eye. He picked it up and examined it. The title, spelled out in raised, curved script said "The Holy Thorn: A Wizard Bloodline". It was a first edition, leatherbound and illustrated with small, colorful moving paintings and gilt edged pages. It was more of a narrative than a genealogy like "Nature's Nobility", every pureblood had a copy of that, but this was the kind of book you only had if you understood _why _you needed to have it. Draco bought it, but declined the gift wrapping.

The crowds in Diagon Alley pushed and shoved and shrieked at each other as Draco edged his way through them, clutching his packages and pretending to exist in his own personal bubble. Christmas carols played over-amplified sound systems from Diagon Alley to Grimmauld Place, where Draco's eagle owl was waiting for him in the front hall with a letter.

Draco retrieved the envelope and slit it open as he wandered into the sitting room. He beamed once he finished reading it.

"My mother is inviting both of us to spend Christmas at Malfoy Manor."

"You celebrate Christmas?" Harry was sprawled by the fireplace, writing a letter of his own. He was playing Christmas music on the wireless. Draco hummed along as he flopped into a chair.

"Uh yeah…"Draco said, staring at Harry. What was Harry talking about?

"But you're…"

"A bunch of ex-Death Eaters? What does that have to do with anything? We used to have a gigantic party, but since we barely have any friends anymore it'll be just the family."

"Oh."

"You can…bring yours," Draco said, hoping to fill the awkward silence.

"My what?"

"Your family, Harry." Draco sighed. "I know you're an orphan or whatever, but you can bring guests. Those Muggles you lived with."

"I don't like them very much," Harry said. "But I guess they're family. If we're going to be whatever we are…they should know."

Draco perched on the arm of the sofa and nudged Harry with his foot.

"What are we?" he asked. _Friends?_

"Housemates. Potential lovers." Harry folded his letter and stuck it in an envelope. "Unless this thing where I come to your house for Christmas is a trap."

"Trap! Haha," Draco said. Then, with a worried frown, "I hope not. Father has been doing so _well_."

Draco couldn't sleep later that night, so he headed downstairs to get some hot chocolate and his working notebook. As he reached the bottom step he heard voices in the drawing room.

"I don't think he wants me,"Harry said.

"Maybe he just moves more slowly than you expected, "Hermione said.

"Malfoy?" Ron scoffed. "I figure he gets around. Not that discriminating, you know."

"Ron,"Hermione replied. "Just because someone has a lot of partners doesn't mean-"

"He's so formal, "Harry said. "I didn't expect that. I thought there might be angry shagging against a wall or something, but he's like someone from another century. He's always wearing those stupid high necked shirts too. "

"Give him some time, "Hermione said. "He has reasons to be careful. And so do you."

"Because of everything we've been through, "Harry said.

"More than that. I was reading this book, "The Holy Thorn: A Wizard Bloodline" and it's fascinating."

"Don't get her started, mate," Ron said.

"Of course, the validity of the claims the book makes are doubtful, but Draco probably believes in the whole thing. You know what those pureblood Slytherin types are like."

"Everything with him is heritage, blood, tradition-" Harry said. "We're in such different places."

"Yes, "Hermione said. "You'd almost think he grew up in a totally different culture where everything's backward."

"Hey!" Ron protested.

Draco decided to forget about catching up on his work. He started to retreat up the stairs, but knocked over the troll's foot umbrella stand, which woke up Aunt Walpurga, who started screeching.

"BLOOD TRAITORS! MUDBLOODS IN MY HOUSE!" Harry, Ron and Hermione came running into the front hall with their wands drawn.

"You were all so loud, you probably woke her up,"Draco sniffed.

"Well, if you were hoping to overhear our dirty secrets, you're probably disappointed, " Ron said as Harry hurried to pull the curtain shut again.

"Oh, I'm crushed, "Draco snapped. "I'm crushed like Giles Corey."


	4. Chapter 4

"I can't believe I'm going to have Christmas with Muggles," Lucius said. He floated the Christmas tree into place in one corner of the Malfoy drawing room. Rather than risk the shame of having to buy a spindly tree at a discount, Lucius had "borrowed" a large, lush tree from a public forest.

"Harry makes these Dursley creatures sound positively frightening," Draco admitted. He deposited the last box of Christmas ornaments on the pile of other boxes. They used to have _people_ for this. Well, house elves. Draco began levitating ornaments and arranging them on the branches of the tree. His mother came in, dressed in casual robes, with her hair slightly mussed. She carried a tray of gingerbread men and warm milk. With the lowered lamps, and fairy lights behind her, reflecting in the diamond panes of the window, she resembled Saint Lucia .

"I've baked, "Narcissa said triumphantly.

"You don't know how," Lucius said, suspicion edging into his voice.

"I've expanded my horizons, "Narcissa said. "It's just cooking. I'm hardly on my knees scrubbing floors. Now, which one of my handsome men is going to try my gingerbread?"

Draco took one and tentatively bit it. It wasn't bad at all. Lucius followed suit after seeing that Draco hadn't spit his out.

"These are quite good, "Draco said. "When did you learn to bake?"

"I was never completely ignorant of the kitchen, "Narcissa explained. "When I was at Hogwarts, basic cooking classes were required for all witches. I never liked them, but we had no choice. And women rarely have the luxury of not knowing how to feed themselves."

"What about the boys?" Draco asked.

"We had to learn to repair household appliances," Lucius said. He grimaced. Lucius Malfoy had never fixed an appliance since. Draco reached for another gingerbread man.

"We didn't have to do either, "he said, nibbling on it. "I dunno if they even have those classes. If they did, they'd probably make us all take both."

"Pitiful, "Lucius snorted.

"Would Draco be better served without such skills?" Narcissa asked. She waved her wand and conjured strings of tinsel for the tree and released the little fairies from their bucket to fly into the branches. "What will he need for his future?"

"He needs a pureblood witch who knows her place,"Lucius said, earning himself a glare from his wife. "But first he needs to get over-"

"Lucius!" Narcissa hissed.

"Needs to keep Potter on our side," Lucius continued smoothly.

"But don't allow him to think that you're easy, "Narcissa said. "_You_ control what happens and when."

"Mother!" Draco grabbed another gingerbread man and concentrated on biting into it to avoid continuing this embarrassing conversation.

"You've been here before, of course," Lucius said. He led Harry down the driveway; Draco trailed behind, carrying Harry's overnight bag.

"Yeah, I _sort of remember_ being kidnapped and locked up in your cellar while you tortured my friend," Harry muttered.

"I can truthfully say that I was nowhere near Malfoy Manor at the time of that incident," Lucius said. Draco cringed. It wasn't as if he'd _forgotten_ about that, how could he? It was the day he lost his wand, and watched his own aunt torture his classmates. Hermione Granger's screams still echoed in his ears sometimes.

"I can carry my own bag, "Harry said. He took it back, Draco wasn't sure why, but he was glad he didn't have to be embarrassed at waiting on Harry.

"Draco, I thought I told you to carry his bag for him," Lucius said without looking back.

"It's alright, Mr. Malfoy, "Harry said. "I can do it. "

"No, Draco will do it." Draco shrugged at Harry and trudged after his father. It was starting to snow again, so Harry hurried across the slush to keep up with them.

"What if Father says something bigoted?" Draco worried in a low voice.

"Uncle Vernon will be more than a match for him when it comes to bigotry," Harry laughed. "Be glad they're only coming for dinner."

Narcissa had also invited Andromeda and little Teddy, she and Teddy arrived early. Teddy was asleep, dressed in a heavy sweater, corduroy pants, snow boots and matching hat and mittens. Narcissa and her older sister gave each other stiff, awkward air kisses.

"This must be Draco," Andromeda said. She looked so much like Bellatrix that Draco nearly flinched when she turned to smile at him. He'd never met her, he'd never even seen her before, truthfully. But she had a comforting, sensible presence instead of his late aunt's barely controlled insanity.

"Tonight is a full moon," Narcissa said with some concern.

"Teddy took after his mother, thank goodness," Andromeda explained. "Except the doctor said he'll prefer red meat when he's completely on solids."

Harry's Uncle Vernon was a big, red-faced man with a bushy mustache. He shook Lucius and Draco's hands in a way that he probably thought was confident and manly, and left Lucius wincing and Draco trying to rub the feeling back into his fingers. Aunt Petunia looked as if she lived on lettuce and black coffee, she was thin and nervous, and spoke like someone who'd tried to train their voice not to betray an accent from the bad part of Manchester. Draco turned to the last member of Harry's family and stuck out his hand.

"And you must be Dudley," he said formally. "My god, you're gigantic." It slipped out, he hadn't been able to stop himself, and Lucius kicked him in the ankle for it. But Harry's cousin was huge, he must have been a weightlifter or wrestler. His handshake was rather limp and listless though.

"Our Duddykins is a boxer," Aunt Petunia explained.

"I'm afraid we don't know much about that particular Muggle sport, "Narcissa said. "Draco played Quidditch at school but he wasn't interested in a career in the game. "

"Boxer, "Dudley mumbled. Narcissa led them into the drawing room where the Christmas tree was displayed. She'd laid out tea and a few bowls of light snacks, and Christmas music played softly from the wizard wireless in the corner.

"What a lovely tree," Aunt Petunia gasped. "Are those Fontanini ornaments?"

"No, most of them are family heirlooms, "Narcissa replied. "And others were created personally for us. The Little Drummer Boy figure was hand carved by a Mexican monk."

"Didn't know you folk celebrated Christmas, " Uncle Vernon said.

"Some wizards don't, "Lucius said. "But the Malfoy family has been Catholic for centuries."

Aunt Petunia nearly choked on a cashew. Harry suppressed a snort. Draco watched avidly, his parents only went to church on special occasions and he was sure Harry's relatives were the same. This was just another excuse not to like each other and he could get behind that, since he already didn't like the Dursleys.

"Anglican," Dudley grunted.

"What do you do for work, Mr. Dursley?" Narcissa asked, deflecting the potential argument.

"I've managed a drill manufacturing plant in Surrey for twenty years, " Uncle Vernon said.

"And what is a _drill_?" Lucius asked, in a tone that indicated he was clearly unwilling to let the hostilities die. Draco tuned the explanation out and watched Harry's cousin instead. Dudley stared around with a blank expression until he caught Draco watching him. Draco laced his fingers with Harry's and raised his eyebrows. Dudley flushed, and Draco licked his lips at him.

"Shall we go into the dining room?" Narcissa asked. "I believe the food is ready." Draco and Harry hung back from the older adults and Dudley.

"What's wrong with him?" Draco whispered.

"I don't know," Harry said. "I can't believe I ever thought he reminded me of you."

"You thought he reminded you of me?"Draco said. He blinked. "How?"

"He's spoiled and he used to be really mean," Harry said lamely.

"I may be spoiled, Harry, but I am because my parents thought I was worth the investment,"Draco said, with one finger in the air, lecture style. "And because they had more than enough resources to do so. Nobody else in our family had to live in a closet or go hungry because I was spoiled. They also expected things from me - good grades, talent, looks, athletic ability, and a vocabulary of polysyllabic words. Your cousin is a beached whale with a severe concussion and you thought I reminded you of him?"

"I was eleven!" Harry protested. "I also thought Snape wanted me dead. "

"Well, a lot of people thought _that_," Draco said. "I used to dream about you getting expelled. " They passed under a clump of mistletoe hanging over the doorway to the front hall. Draco's heart thudded, even though it didn't come as a surprise to him because he was the one who'd hung it there and Harry turned to glance at him. "It's traditional?" Draco ventured. Harry backed him against the doorframe and gave him the second hottest kiss Draco had ever had, Draco was panting when they broke apart.


	5. Chapter 5

Lucius had taken Harry aside and was whispering "Would you explain to me what's so funny about a Japanese golfer?"

"It's not funny, "Harry replied. Lucius nodded grimly.

"I thought not."

"Because it's racist, " Harry said patiently.

"I thought it was unfunny because golf jokes are never funny, "Lucius said. "Never saw the point of the game."

Narcissa had done a wonderful job cooking her first Christmas goose, and Lucius had allowed Draco to choose the wine this time. He congratulated Draco on the selection, and Draco was able to breathe easier after that. His family was too dignified to wear paper crowns and pull wizard crackers, although Draco had, in a rare moment of optimism, bought some for later. Meanwhile, Narcissa had found Draco's old baby chair for Teddy.

"And how old is your manor?" Aunt Petunia asked.

"This wing was built in the eighteenth century, "Lucius said. "After a fire destroyed the original building."

"One of our ancestors, Sir Flavius Malfoy, liked his dragons,"Draco said. "Unfortunately, he was also a narcoleptic."

"The original building was at least pre-Norman," said Lucius. "Although my family has always lived in this region."

Dudley shoveled food in his face. So did Uncle Vernon, but he didn't have the decency to stop talking while he did. He'd also had a lot of wine by that point. "Has my poofter nephew proposed yet?" He demanded. "I figured that was the only reason the ungrateful boy would contact us."

"No-uh- we haven't thought about that," Harry said.

"But we are very serious," Draco added. He smiled at Harry, who blinked in surprise and smiled back. "Harry belongs here, with me. With the rest of us unnatural freaks. "

"I'm not paying for the wedding," Uncle Vernon sneered. "Mind you, you poofs still can't get properly married, can you? Don't you get a civil partnership or summat? What do you plan to do for work?"

"I work for a wizard newspaper, "Draco said. " And Harry has entered Auror training."

"An Auror is a bit like a policeman, "Harry said reluctantly.

"You? A policeman?" Uncle Vernon snorted. "They won't take you, boy!"

"I think you'll find they have, "Harry said.

"It's really more elite than that anyway, "Draco said. "It's only for the highly dangerous, important crimes. Like your James Bond."

"Well, I must say you're not what I expected, "Aunt Petunia admitted. There was chocolate cake for dessert, but Narcissa paused in the act of slicing into it.

"What did you expect?" Narcissa asked. "Your sister married one of our purebloods. The Potters lived quite well and provided a sizable trust for Harry. As did his godfather - my cousin, Sirius Black - who left Harry his house in London, which Draco and Harry share." Draco was no longer sure how his parents felt about Sirius Black, but tonight it was definitely family versus the outsiders.

" I was concerned that you'd be like that awful boy she used to be friends with."

"Awful boy?" Lucius raised an eyebrow. Harry froze.

"Greasy haired, big-nosed boy who was always following my sister around. His family had nothing, I don't think he even washed his clothes. Severus Snape, that was his name. I'm sure you wouldn't associate with someone like that."

"He wasn't…"Draco started to say, his hand gripping his fork tightly.

"Draco." Narcissa's smile was tight-lipped and didn't meet her eyes. "Severus Snape was a good friend of ours and he is recently deceased." Lucius twitched.

"May-may I ask how?" Aunt Petunia murmured. She had the grace to flush.

"He was murdered by the same person who murdered my parents," Harry said. "The same person who was going to kill you."

"Lord Whosywossit,"Uncle Vernon said.

"Volodermorts,"Dudley said. Everyone stared at him, surprised he'd been paying such close attention.

"Yeah, Lord Voldemort,"Harry snapped. The entire Malfoy family winced at once.

"If you ask me," Uncle Vernon said. (_Nobody did_, Draco thought spitefully.) "If you ask me, messing about with wands and spells and whatnot, he deserved what he got."

"I always thought he was rotten to the core," Aunt Petunia murmured. Draco could practically see his father's temper starting to flare. His own temper was rising and he clutched his fork until his knuckles turned white. His wine glass started to develop tiny cracks.

"Not a fine gentleman such as yourself, "Uncle Vernon finished, turning to Lucius.

"I knew he'd fall in with criminals, "Petunia said. "That kind can't help themselves."

"What kind would that be?" Narcissa asked, her voice dangerously soft. Andromeda looked back and forth worriedly. Teddy's hair slowly turned orange as he whimpered and wriggled in his high chair.

"The children of poor, lazy mutts with…unnatural…tendencies."

Draco's wine glass shattered, his mother put a gentle, restraining hand on his arm.

"You will not,"Lucius snarled. "Insult Severus Snape in my home!" The cake exploded, showering everyone in bits of chocolate ganache.

"Oh Lucius," Narcissa said plaintively. "That was a very expensive cake." Andromeda covered her face and groaned.

"Out! Out of my house!" Lucius roared. The chandelier shook, the little crystals hanging off it tinkled. The Dursleys huddled together, screaming in panic as they ran from the manor. There was a huge splash from out in the garden.

"I think your uncle fell in the pond, "Draco said. Harry's mouth opened and closed rapidly.

"May Harry and I be excused?" Draco asked. Lucius brushed crumbs off his black velvet robes and sniffed.

"Yes, of course. Why don't we all adjourn to the drawing room for drinks?"

"Excellent idea, "Narcissa agreed.

"Will my aunt and uncle be okay?" Harry asked as they proceeded to the beautifully decorated drawing room.

"Oh, sure, "Draco said. "It's not like we have anything _dangerous_ on the grounds." Draco sank onto the overstuffed sofa, pulling Harry down with him. "Right?"

"Right, " Narcissa and Lucius said, although they smirked at each other.

"Well, as long as it won't kill them, they can find their own way out," Harry said. "I can't believe I'm saying that, but there it is. I did _warn them. _"

"If they haven't rescued themselves in a few hours, I'll assist them, "Lucius said. "But only because they're _your _Muggles and I don't want Draco to get upset. "

Draco felt the laughter bubbling up and it burst out of him before he could stop it. Teddy shrieked joyfully and flailed his tiny arms.

"He-he blew up the cake!" Draco wheezed. He leaned against Harry, who wrapped an arm around him. Harry cracked up into Draco's hair. "Out! Out of my house!"

"It isn't bloody funny," Lucius said. But he looked like he would have been laughing if every instinct for non-sarcastic laughter hadn't dried up years ago.

"It most certainly is not," Narcissa agreed, even though she was hiding a smirk behind her delicate white hand. Draco wiped his eyes and took a sip of the mulled wine that had been laid out with a selection of cheese. His father left and came back with a camera, and Narcissa suggested they open the presents.

Draco's parents gave him theirs first. Playing the proud father to the hilt, Lucius took photos of every present Draco unwrapped. As usual, they'd spent a lot of money on him, more than he figured they could afford at the moment, but Draco was a selfish creature and he liked his new stuff. Harry loved his sweater and boots, but he was puzzled by the book.

"The Holy Thorn: A Wizard Bloodline," Harry read. "Oh uh- thanks." Draco's heart sank. Harry didn't get it at all. Narcissa and Lucius looked just as disappointed at Harry's lack of excitement. It was as if a winter chill had seeped into the room. "No, it's cool,"Harry insisted.

"There's some important information about our family in there, "Narcissa said. "We-that is, Draco, thought it would help you adjust."

"Thanks," Harry mumbled. Harry handed Draco a package that Harry had at least had the good sense to get gift wrapped (Draco had seen Harry's previous attempts to fold paper). Draco unwrapped a cashmere scarf in navy blue, and matching socks.

"Those are lovely!" Narcissa exclaimed. "Oh, Harry, you do have excellent taste!" Harry blushed. Draco kissed Harry impulsively on the cheek just as Lucius snapped a picture of them.

"Now I have something to blackmail you with, "Lucius said. And they were so comfortable with each other now that they all laughed instead of feeling awkward, even if Draco still wondered how serious his father's last remark had been and he was sure Harry was thinking the same thing.

After more than enough celebration, including a moment when Harry somehow found himself dancing with Narcissa, the boys excused themselves to go to bed.

"Are you sure you don't want to come to midnight mass?" Narcissa asked. She was holding the baby, who was all wrapped up in a soft fuzzy blanket. "Andromeda and I are."

"We'd rather get some sleep,"Draco said.

"Lucius, put your cloak on,"Narcissa said.

"I am not going!" Lucius complained.

"Oh, yes you are! I'm going to change and you will have your cloak and boots on by the time I'm back. "

"Was this what you expected A Malfoy Christmas would be like?" Draco asked as he and Harry climbed the massive stairs up into the darkness of the first floor.

"I usually spend Christmas with the Weasleys," Harry said. Draco stopped in the middle of the hall.

"_Ewww_," he gagged.

"They're really great people, Draco. Ron's mum has been like a mother to me. "

"So you'd rather be with them." He held up his hands. "Yuck, I still have cake on me."

"No- if I don't want to do something, I don't do it. And I want to be here, with you," Harry insisted. He followed Draco into the bathroom that adjoined Draco's bedroom.

"You didn't like your book," Draco said bitterly.

"I'm not very into that bloodline stuff, " Harry admitted. "Sorry, I'm just not."

"You could try,"Draco said. "You want to be with me so badly, you could try."

"Where _am_ I sleeping tonight?" Harry asked. Narcissa nodded at them and smiled as she passed.

"You're uh, in my room,"Draco explained. He closed the bathroom door , whispered "_Muffliato_"and stuck his hands under the faucet. Water spurted out automatically from the snake-shaped tap.

"But I thought your parents were really conservative," Harry said.

"They are,"said Draco. "They would never have let Pansy and I sleep in the same room. But they would have pretended they didn't know, if we started sneaking back and forth. It's all about surface impressions with them. At the moment though, they'd prefer I break with tradition rather than… My mother thinks we're further along than we really are, and I want her to keep that impression. Otherwise, she'll know that I know what she still thinks I don't know."

"Is this typical of Slytherin family life?" Harry asked.

"Not for everyone but it is for us," Draco said, lathering the soap between his hands. He was quite calm.

"So why can't you just tell her the truth?"

"Because it's awkward, Harry. Talking about…that…is uncomfortable in the best of circumstances. If we talk about it, someone will find out and my parents will be humiliated."

"Your parents will be?" Harry said.

"You wouldn't understand,"Draco said. "It matters what people think of us. You wouldn't understand because you grew up Muggle with those - middle-class - suburban nobodies. But I was born with a - sort of a price tag, and jobs to do. I have to increase my family's honor in at least two ways. First, I have to accomplish things and avoid embarrassing the Name. My future is like this house, Harry. It's not really mine, it belongs to the bloodline. Second, I have to produce an heir at some point in my life."

Harry frowned. Draco rinsed his hands and shut off the water.

"You must've known that," Draco said. He reached for a monogrammed hand towel in shades of blue and ivory. "I'm the last of two great pureblood families. If I don't produce a miniature version of myself before I die, there will be no more Malfoys OR Blacks."

"So we were never meant to last," Harry said.

"I didn't say that," Draco retorted. He looked away. "You have to – you're the last Potter. We could even work out a way to legitimately have both. My father certainly wants us to. But I won't get an heir if anyone finds out about the-the-werewolf."

"You mean, that you were r-

"Don't SAY IT!" Draco cried. "I'm okay as long as we don't talk about the _word_."

"It's not your fault," Harry said. "Hermione did some reading on people who were raised in cults…"

"_It wasn't a cult_," Draco protested. "And how dare you talk about this with her? This is private!"

"Let's see," Harry said, ticking the items off on his fingers. "Special outfits, secret rituals, keeping people isolated, manipulating them, practically worshipping a sort of inverted Messiah type leader. Hurting people who try to leave or tell on them. If that's not a cult then I'd like to know what is!"

Draco perched on the edge of the counter and bit his lip. "I can't tell, Harry. Stop asking me to. And I won't be your newest salvation project either."

"I'm not trying to save you." Harry rested his hands on Draco's thighs. His palms were warm.

"Yes, you are," Draco said. They pressed their foreheads together and stayed that way for a moment. They were both breathing a little harder. "You like the idea of fixing me."

"No! I mean…"

"The Great Messiah of Wizards is trying to save the outcast sinner or whatever. Everyone's trying to fix me. And I just want to not be here," Draco murmured. "Come on. Let's get out of here!" He hopped down. "Bring your broom!"

They bounded down the stairs, grabbing coats and hats and scarves on the way, and ran out the door, through the gardens and across the fields. It was dark now, and shafts of pale moonlight sparkled in the footprints their boots left in the snow. He wanted to get out beyond the manor's wards.

"I'll race you to the stones!" Draco called over his shoulder. Draco When they both arrived, panting, they chased each other around the standing stones. They could run right up to it, since no one was around to catch them at it.

"Come back here, you sneaky little ferret!" Harry gasped.

"You're the big hero, come and get me!" Draco teased. He let Harry catch him behind one of the biggest stones but pulled away before Harry could kiss him. Draco retrieved his broom from the ground and lifted off. "See if you can catch me now!"

A small group of Muggles were tramping by with a red painted wooden sled. Laughing, Draco swooped down over the Muggles. The rush of air almost knocked them off their feet. Harry sped after him, yelling something indistinct about Draco being insane. Draco guided his broom over the hill and slid to a stop. He caught his breath while he waited for Harry to arrive at the spot Draco had purposely led him to. Harry appeared a moment later and touched down with a thump.

"Uh, Draco, where are we?" Harry asked.

"Just wait, "Draco said. He grabbed Harry's hand and Apparated. When they opened their eyes, they were on the outskirts of a different town.

"Somerset," Draco said. He was suddenly nervous, what if this didn't work? "I have something I want to show you."

"I've seen this place on television," Harry said.

"You never paid attention in History of Magic, did you?" Draco said, aware that he was sounding for a moment just like Hermione. "You've seriously never been to Glastonbury?"

"Draco, the Dursleys never went anywhere," Harry said. "And when they did, they tried not to bring me along. I think I was here looking for the Horcruxes but that time's really a blur to me."

"I've come here often with my parents,"Draco said. "So I wanted to come here with you. " He glanced sidelong at Harry, hoping the double entendre was clear. They strolled through the dark, quiet town, Draco pointing out the different shops and sights to Harry.

"That's Dion Fortune's house, "Draco said casually. "I mean, she used to live there."

"The woman who wrote all those Defense Against the Dark Arts books."

Draco nodded.

"Grandfather Malfoy used to visit her."

"I thought she was a Muggleborn."

"Pureblood, "Draco said. "She even said so in one of her books. Bloody Gryffindor though."

He tugged on Harry's hand and led him across the snow toward the stone ruins of the pre medieval church. It was dark, but Draco used I lumos /I to light the way.

"Glastonbury Abbey was the first above ground Christian church in Britain ,"Draco said. "King Lucius built the first tower on Glastonbury Tor in 176 A.D - he also built one of the first churches in London. He was known for giving shelter to the Gaulish Christians being persecuted by Rome. The legend says that four generations earlier, his ancestor Joseph of Arimathea - you know who that was?"

"No," Harry shook his head. They stopped in front of a large tree, a hawthorn tree in full flower.

"Jesus's uncle. Do you read _ever_? That's why I wanted you to read The Holy Thorn: A Wizard Bloodline! Anyway, he came here in a boat with Mary Magdalene and the baby-"

"What baby?" Harry asked.

"Don't interrupt,"Draco said. "He came here in a boat with Mary Magdalene and her baby. He brought his religion with him, and their magic mixed with the magic of the druids and when he helped found the original church here he planted a staff of hawthorn, which grew into this tree. Well, this isn't exactly the same tree, but parts of it are."

"How do you know all this?" Harry wondered.

"I haven't been allowed to forget it," Draco said.

"So basically what you're saying is…"

"Yes. Please, don't laugh." Draco blushed a little. He hoped Harry would just think it was the cold air that turned his cheeks pink.

"I'm not! But how did you all turn evil then?"

"I'm sure your people weren't always _the saints_ they are now. It's not so hard to get all turned around and twisted up when people keep telling you _how special you are_," Draco said pointedly. " The tree blooms twice a year. Once in spring, once just after Christmas. There are other grafts of the tree but none of them have been able to reproduce the twice a year bloom." He picked one of the blossoms and balanced it on his palm. It rose a few inches and the petals opened and dilated at Draco's touch. Draco smiled at Harry and closed his fingers around the flower. Harry took Draco's fist in his own and brought it to his lips.

"Your wand came from this tree, "Draco said stiffly. "The wand you took. Hawthorn wood with a unicorn hair core. " He couldn't look at Harry as he said it. "They only let wizards take one branch every fifty years. My parents couldn't believe how lucky I was to find mine in Olivander's. Father thought it meant I was going to be special."

"Look, I'm sorry I said you weren't important, " Harry muttered. "If that's what this is about…"

"No," Draco said. "This is me trying to show you who I am. I want to share it with you. A man who's going to be the leader of the wizarding world should know where we come from. And if I'm going to be with you, you should know me- all of me." Draco shook as he leaned forward and kissed Harry. He dropped his shields and allowed Harry full access to his thoughts. The first time he knew things had changed. His fantasy of taking off his clothes in front of Harry, and Harry not being repulsed by the scars on his neck and chest.

Harry had snowflakes on his eyelashes and his voice sounded a little hoarse as he asked, "How do you figure I'm going to lead the wizarding world?"

Draco stood shivering under Harry's intense stare. "I just know," he replied. _Like I haven't been watching you for seven years. _ He kissed Harry again and pointedly stepped into the circle of his arms. It started to snow, first light flurries but turning to heavy flakes by the time they made it back to the town center, with their arms around each other's waists. Music, a woman singing Christmas songs accompanied by a violin, spilled out the half-opened door of the inn where Draco had reserved a room for them.

_Yet in thy dark streets shineth_

_The everlasting Light_

_The hopes and fears of all the years_

_Are met in thee tonight_


End file.
